Former champion got a head start in his racing life
Today’s Turf Talk Questionnaire guest is former national point to-point champion rider James Tudor, from the Vale of Glamorgan.
Only one Welshman has ridden more winners between the flags than James and that is Cowbridge farmer John Llewellyn, who booted home some 270 winners compared to the 252 wins that James chalked up.
James says that he was lucky enough to have been born into a family that has had a long association with the sport. As a youngster, the legendary National Hunt jockey Richard Dunwoody was James’ idol and as James approached his 16th birthday his focus was on getting a licence to ride and not on obtaining his GCEs – much to the annoyance of his parents!
He was lucky inasmuch as then National Hunt trainer Evan Williams, who incidentally rode 198 point-to point winners, had moved into a yard just a couple of miles from where James lived and his father arranged for him to ride out for him.
Little did he think then that he would be working alongside Evan as
an assistant trainer for the next 15 years!
James said: “As my career as a rider progressed, I made a huge number of connections throughout the hunt-racing world and this enabled me to ride at most of the meetings in southern UK.’’
He says this would not have been possible without the support of his family and Alan and Lawney Hill, the leading trainers based in Oxfordshire, who he claims shaped him as a rider.
James also says that it was owing to their support that he was able to win the national point-to-point riders’ championship in 2007. In fact, James was the last Welshman to land the title. Evan Williams had won it in 2002 and before him Jamie Jukes in 1996.
Q. Where and when were you born? A. Bridgend in May 1983.
Q. How did you become involved in horse-racing?
A. My family have a long association with horse-racing and I grew up going to point-to-points with them. I was inevitable that I would race ride when I turned 16.
Q. What was your most exciting racing moment?
A. Undoubtedly winning the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir Chase at the 2008 Cheltenham National Hunt Festival, the spiritual home of National Hunt racing. The horse was the Evan Williams-trained High Chimes and was owned by the Rucker family, who had been great supporters of ours from the start.
Q. Which are your favourite racecourses?
A. Cheltenham for National Hunt as there is nowhere better for occasion and history. Kingston Blount for point-to-point, and it is only a mile or so from Alan and Lawney Hill’s yard so became a real fortress for us for many years.
Q. Have you any pet racing hates? A. A big bugbear of mine at point-to points were inaccurate weighing scales. The heavier jockeys would be trying hard and dieting thoughout the week, only to discover the scales were weighing 5lb heavy!
Q. What is your favourite sport outside of horse-racing?
A. Rugby and at the time of answering these questions Wales are on top of the world!
Q. Which two people would you like to be seated next to at a dinner party?
A. When I worked in racing it would have been interesting to have quizzed legendary trainers Vincent and Aidan O’Brien on how they were so successful. Now, though, I think sitting between showbusiness stars Peter Kay and Jack Whitehall would make it a dinner party to remember. Q. Do you have a favourite singer? A. Not really, as I like most genres of music. However, if pushed, I would say Freddie Mercury as he was such a great entertainer.
Q. Do you have a favourite book? A. No, but I enjoy a lot of the Wilbur Smith books.
Q. What is your favourite television programme?
A. I guess like a lot of people at the moment it would be Peaky Blinders. Q. Who do you admire most in horse-racing?
A. There are many people in the sport who have done remarkable things and I admire them greatly, but having ridden myself, I think Sir Tony McCoy’s achievements are really incredible.
Q. What is the best advice you have ever been given?
A. I’ve been lucky to have been on the receiving end of lots of helpful advice from the people I rode for. I think when you are in the company of very successful people one should speak less and listen more, as it is probably the best way forward.
Q. Finally, tell us something about yourself that might surprise us.
A. I don’t really have a lot that might surprise your readers. However, they might be surprised to learn that I don’t miss race-riding at all. Having ridden for around 16 years and being able to give up on my own terms without injury or weight problems makes me one of the lucky minority in what is a brilliant but risky profession.
■ Brian’s Blast From the Past
Under the heading “Shock victory for Williams”, I reported in the Western Mail on May 9, 1988 that:
“Swedish Pine, owned by Hereford Racecourse clerk of the course and secretary John Williams, landed a shock 25-1 win in the Ladies’ Open race at the Ystrad Hunt point-topoint steeplechases.
“Ridden by Debbie Key, the grey Swedish Pine got up in the last few yards to pip the pacemaking Sliebmore by a short head.
“Mr Williams, on duty at Hereford races, missed leading in his winner.
“Paul Hamer brought his tally of wins to nine when landing a double with Knock On The Head in the Members Race and Ratochhu in the Adjacent.
“Knock On The Head, who clocked the day’s fastest time, won easily enough, but Ratochhu got home by half-a-length from Rushbeds. Welsh champion John Llewellyn missed a winning ride on Rostuile in the Men’s Open after spraining an ankle when unshipped from Clanger in the Adjacent. Rostuile was ridden by Philip Mathias, who was chalking up his 11th win of the season.
“In the Restricted Open Bridgend butcher Jonathan Tudor made every yard of the running on his own horse St Helen’s Boy, who held off the strong challenge of Hamer’s mount Marston Moor.
“Edgar Martin Ley landed a gamble on Woodlight Fantasy in the Maiden event. Backed from 12-1 to 6-1, Woodlight Fancy won by 20 lengths from Dusty Bin, who failed to stay the trip.”